Collapsible garment hanger



Nov. 8, 1932. B. B. BUTTON 1,886,869

COLLAPSIBLE GARMENT HANGER Filed March 19, 1951 Patented Nov. 8, 1932 BLAND B. BUTTON, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS rice GOLLAPSIIBLE GARMENT HANGER Application filed March 19, 1931. Serial No. 523,679.

This invention relates to improvements in the construction of collapsible garment hang ers, and one of theobjects is toprovide a hanger which is particularly adapted for use inconnection with garments such as womens dresses and the like, to which the hanger is applied through the neck opening rather than from either the front or the back, as 111 the case of an ordinary buttoned garment. Another object of the invention is to provide a collapsible hanger having arms which are movable from folded position into selflocking extended position.

The invention will be fully understood from the following'detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, wherein I have shown the preferred-form of construction. Referring to the drawing: Fig. 1 is a view of the hanger in the extended position, a portion of one of the stretcher arms being broken away to show the slot or channel for receiving the bracing link;

Fig. 7 is a bottom plan view of the hanger 5 in the extended posltion;

F 1g. 3 is a view of the hanger in the collapsed or folded position; and a I Fig. 4L isa section through the folded hanger taken on-line 414c of Fig. 3.

In the embodiment shown the hanger comprises: a vertically disposed bar 5, provided at its upper end with a hook 6 for engaging a hanger support; apair of stretcher arms .7

and 8 for receiving and supporting the garment; coupling means comprising a pair of links 9 and 11 extending betweenthe inner ends of arms 7 and 8 to provide pivotal and sliding connection between said arms and bar 5 ,and apair of bracing links 12 and 13 supported at their inner ends on a pivot 14 carriedin the lower end of bar 5, the outer ends of said links being pivoted respectively at 15 and 16 to stretcher arms 7 andS.

.The inner ends of the stretcher arms are connected with links 9 and 11 by means of pins 17 which-extend through the ends ofthe arms and the links positioned on either side thereof. Link 9. is providedwith a lateral projection or finger piece 18 which may be 0 grasped by the operator to slide the inner ends of the arms upwardly on bar5 to reduce the hanger to the folded condition, as shown in Fig. 3, arms 7 and 8 in this position resting immediately adjacent either side of bar 5.

The inner ends of the stretcher arms are cut to provide bevelled faces 19 which, in 5 inner ends'of the arms andbar5 serves to.

brace the arms in their extended position. The weight of the garment on the arms tends to turn or draw the bevelled faces 19 inwardly against ing lock.

Links 12 and 13 serve to brace the stretcher arms to hold them in extended position under the'weight of the garment. In the extended condition of the hanger these links are inclined upwardly from the horizontal at a slight angle, as shown in Fig. 1. When the arms arefolded against bar 5 the links pivot inwardly to assume the positionshown in Figs. 3 and 4. The stretcher arms are channeledor grooved, as indicated at 21, to providerecesses for partially housing links 12 and 13 when the arms are collapsed. Also, the lower end of bar 5"is provided with a slot 22 which extends a shortdistance above the sides of bar 5 to form a wedgpivot 14 to accommodate bracing links 12 and 13 whenthey assume the position shown in Figs. 3 and 4. Byplacin links 12 and13 between the sides of arms% and 8 and-bar 5 I avoid contact between the links and the garment. If the links were placed .on the outside of these parts there would be some danger of their catching and tearingthe garment.- 1 .i Y.

The stretcher arms areprovided with inwardly bulging portions 23 which engage the sides of bar 5 to prevent joints 15 and 16 from coming directly in line with pins 17, the object of this being to assure spreading of links 12 and 13 when a downward pullis applied to'piece 18.

The hanger is particularly well adapted to the hanging of dresses. The dre ss may be laid on a bedaor sofaand the hanger in the: collapsed condition may be inserted rectly through the neck opening of the dress. The stretcher arms are then spread by holding the upper end of bar 5 and pulling downwardly on finger piece 18. The dress having been laid out on the bed, it may be thus placed on the hanger without having to be further touched by the hands of the operator. If it is desired to hang a dress while the hanger is on a supporting hook, and in the collapsed condition, it is merely necessary to slip the neck opening of the dress over the lower ends of the stretcher arms, and then pull downwardly on linger piece 18, whereupon the arms are moved outward- 1y to engage the shoulder portions or the dress. In moving to this position the inner ends of the arms engage the sides of bar 5 to form a self-locking joint. The removal of the dress from the hanger is equally convenient; It is merely necessary to push downwardly on the outer ends of arms 7 and 8 whereupon the angle lock formed between the inner ends of the arms and bar 5 releases itself, collapsing the arms, and allowing the dress to fall from the hanger.

The foregoing detailed description has been given for clearne'ss of understanding nnly, no unnecessary limitations should be understood therefrom, but the appended claims should be construed as broadly as permissible, in view of the prior art.

What I regard as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A garment hanger comprising a bar pro- 'vided with means for engaging a hanger support, and pair of collapsible stretcher arms supported on said bar and provided at their inner ends with means afli'ording pivotal and sliding connection with the bar, the inner ends of said arms being shaped to move into abutting engagement with the sides of the bar when the arms are in the extended position.

2. A garment hanger comprising a bar pro vided with means for engaging a hanger suppea, and'a pair of collapsible stretcher arms supported on said bar and provided at their inner ends with means affording pivotal and sliding connection with the bar, the inner ends of said arms being shaped to provide shoulders for engaging the sides of the bar to limit the outward movement of the arms.

3. Agarnient hanger comprising a bar provided with means for engaging a hanger sup port, stretcher arms adapted to fold from 'a normally extended position into collapsed position adjacent said bar, and coupling means providing pivotal and sliding connection between said arms and the bar, the inner of said arms being shaped to provide shoulders for engaging the sides or the bar to limit theoutward movement of the arms.

4. A garment hanger comprising a bar presided with means for engaging a hanger support, a bridge piece slidable on said bar, collapsible stretcher arms pivoted at their the inner ends or said arms affording pivotal and sliding connection with said bar, said connecting means including a part engageable by the operator tomove the arms from folded position toextended position.

6. A garment hanger comprising a' bar provided with means for engaging a hanger support, collapsible stretcher arms having their inner ends shaped to abut against the sides of the bar when the arms are in the extended position, means extending between the inner ends of said arms affording pivotal and sliding connection with said bar said connecting means including a part engageable by the operator to move the arms from folded position to extended position and bracing links extending between said bar and the stretcher arms.

7 A garment hanger comprising' a bar providedwith means for engaging a han er support, stretcher arms adapted to be folded from a normally extended position to collapsed position adjacent either side of said bar, means extending between the inn-er ends of said arms airording pivotal and sliding connection with said bar, and means carried by said connecting means "and engageable by the operator to move the arms from folded to extended position, the inner ends of said arms being shaped to move into abutting engagement with the sides of the bar when the arms are in the extended position.

8. A garment hanger comprising a bar provided with means for engaging a hanger support, stretcher arms adapted to be folded from a normally extended position to collapsed position adjacent either side of said bar, means extending between the inner ends of said arms affording pivotal and sliding connection with said bar, means carried by said connecting means and engageable by the operator to move the arms from folded to extended position, the inner ends of said arms being shaped to move into abutting engage ment with the sides or the bar when the arms are in the extended position, and bracing links pivoted at their inner ends on said bar, the outer ends of said links being connected to the opposite arms of the hanger.

9. A garment hanger comprising abar provided with means for engaging a hanger support, a bridge piece slidable on said bar collapsible stretcher arms pivoted at their inner ends on said bridge piece, said inner ends of the arms being shaped to move into abutting engagement With the sides of the bar when the arms are in the extended position, and bracing links extending between said bar and the stretcher arms, portions of said arms and the bar being grooved to partially house the links in the collapsed position of the hanger.

In Witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name to this specification.

BLAND B. BUTTON. 

